June 2010

“Seeking the good in every experience ensures that you will bring your better self into every encounter. Lives change when we do this – ours as well as those we journey with today.” — Karen Casey

I believe there truly IS good in every experience we go through on Schoolhouse Earth – and I also know that is sometimes very hard to see while we are going through it! So gaining perspective on our current “crisis” situation – often through the eyes of someone else – is a very useful thing.

I just received another great letter from my friend “Mitch,” whom I’ve written about many times in this blog because he so frequently inspires me with little tales that illustrate this very point. Mitch, you will recall, is a young man who is currently incarcerated in a federal correctional facility because he did something really stupid, using the internet, which automatically made it a federal offense. And as his stories of life “behind the Wall” constantly remind me, federal time is the hardest time an inmate can do in the USA.

So the first lesson I get from EVERY letter Mitch writes me is that I am fortunate and grateful just to be FREE. Being free to come and go as I please, to make my own decisions about when to go to bed and when to get up, what to wear, what to eat, what career to pursue and which people to associate with are aspects of life that I take for granted, as I’m sure you do most of the time. But to Mitch, these are PRICELESS freedoms he isn’t going to have a chance to enjoy again for at least another 18 months, when he will be eligible to be released to a “halfway house” — not quite true freedom, but a darn site better than the conditions he is living with behind bars.

This particular letter also included an equally important lesson: that it is only when we are grateful for what we have right NOW that more good will come to us. The Law of Attraction states, “energy attracts like energy.” So whenever we are focusing on what we DON’T have, feeling resentful or scared or upset about our lack, then more LACK is inevitably going to show up for us. But when we are filled with appreciation for what we have in our life right now, what we will attract is more things to appreciate.

Mitch is a very kindhearted, intelligent and spiritual young man. He is constantly on the lookout for ways to make the very best of a very bad situation, to help others, and to embrace every opportunity for personal growth that his punishment holds for him. I know he believes in the universal Law of Attraction, because in the face of the most cynical, angry and uncaring energy that often surrounds him, Mitch always looks for the good in even the smallest places he can find it – and then expresses gratitude for that good.

As a result of his attitude of gratitude, Mitch has attracted many amazing serendipitous occurrences and happy surprises — from unexpected money sent from friends to the five-hour visit with his 2 ½ month old son, his girlfriend and me that he says is the highlight of every month for him. His latest letter explains exactly WHY I believe this huge and unexpected blessing came to him. He’s given me permission to quote him:

“…My gut check told me to send this [journal entry] to you. I don’t know why. It’s an oldie from when I used to live in J-Unit, about a year ago. So keep in mind this was around the time you found out I’d seen “Junior” only once in 8 months or so and it was a bad time for me. I hope you like it:

Stash-2009

I reach over to my locker. In the back, I pull out a green colored album. It’s frayed at the edges, in poor shape, and held together by a myriad hodgepodge of blue painter’s tape and electrical tape. Inside the cover is my stash, my most prized possessions that hold me together.

Each person, whether they care to admit it or not, has one. A box, a bag, an envelope or book cover. It contains our home, connections so small — a letter, a picture, a drawing, a piece of paper folded, scented with perfume whose fragrance slowly wafts away….Each item a priceless Faberge Egg.

I see my son, a picture of him playing. He is so big now. He was such a tiny guy when I saw him last. A card with his crayon scribbles (He can hold crayons now! Growing so fast!) I always remember him just trying to eat them. It is precious, gorgeous, more than any Monet, Van Gogh, any Impressionist or abstract artist. I might hang it in my locker by buying a pair of broken headphones no longer sold, break them open and grab the magnets inside to hang my card.

One night, before lights out, walking back from the shower down the long tier, I see a guy sitting on his bunk, clutching a paper to his chest and crying silently. It had two stick figures holding hands in crayon and said ‘Daddy’ on top. A Faberge Egg – priceless.

There are points when we need that contact so bad, no matter what your security level, whether it’s Supermax or a camp with tennis courts and the amenities of a Club Med, it is still a prison. There is still the lack of family, separated, and for some, that’s the worst prison of all.

My Faberge Egg inspires me and touches me. It asks, ‘What are you going to do now? What will tomorrow look like?’ I tell it things will be different — I’ll be there. For now, I tuck it away in my green album and hang one in my locker and know that home is there in the scribbles of my Faberge Egg.”

Mitch ends his letter with this post-script:

“I’m not sure why I was called to include this, but there you are. Looking back on the entry, it is still true that I draw strength from my connections to home (cards and pictures) and it allows me to see what I took for granted. How many times outside did I receive a Christmas card or birthday card from my now-departed Grandma and toss it aside with ‘That’s nice’ – instead of cherishing that moment? Not often enough, for sure. Now it’s different. I appreciate it so much more.”

Mitch’s question is an excellent reminder for you and me to truly CHERISH all the big and little gifts of love and connection in our lives – of whatever and whomever represents HOME for us. They are each a precious Faberge Egg, after all.

And I also believe that it was Mitch’s appreciation for the cards and photos he had of “Junior” that brought the opportunity for the real thing to come to him. When I first visited him after about a year of corresponding (and successfully gaining clearance to visit him, via a very cumbersome process, emblematic of federal bureaucracy at its finest), I discovered that his girlfriend and son had only been to visit him ONCE in all that time, despite the fact that they lived less than 30 minutes’ drive from the prison! I was dumfounded.

Without a hint of resentment, Mitch calmly explained that because his girlfriend doesn’t have a car, she had to come by bus. Prison regulations prohibited her from bringing a baby stroller into the building (or even leaving it parked out front, at her own risk.) Junior was simply too heavy for her to carry over a mile from the bus stop to the prison. Couldn’t she get a ride from someone? Her family disapproved of Mitch’s situation, and so refused to help her and Junior visit him. Mitch’s father and girlfriend didn’t see eye to eye, so she refused to ask him for a ride, even though he visited Mitch regularly.

I was appalled. At that moment, I decided that I would make sure Mitch got regular visits from his girlfriend and son as long as he is incarcerated there. So I arranged to pick them up and drive them with me once a month. Junior is adorable, funny, smart and absolutely delighted to see his father. Mitch is on cloud nine every time he gets to hold him in his lap and play with him in the visiting room. And I am just happy to know that once a month, at least, Mitch is “home” for real – not just in a photo.

Mitch is now taking special parenting classes that will allow him more visits with Junior – every Tuesday night, for several hours, with more freedom to interact freely together – a special playtime just for dads and their kids.

We have yet to address that scheduling challenge, but I know it can be worked out. After all, Mitch’s has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt the truth that I pass along to all my Practical ProsperityCoaching ™ clients: GRATITUDE is the #1 most powerful positive emotional vibration you can possibly have, which immediately puts the Law of Attraction into action – bringing you even MORE to be grateful for — more precious Faberge Eggs!

I will be taking next week off from the blog to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend. I wish all my readers in the USA a very happy Independence Day! I hope you remember to pause amidst enjoying the BBQ, beer and fireworks with your loved ones to express your heartfelt gratitude for the MOST precious gift of all: FREEDOM — because, as we all know, “Freedom isn’t free.”

Summer Spectacular ENDS Wednesday!

A client who manifested her dream car in less than two weeks — without the credit, down payment or monthly fees needed to pay for it!

A client was hired for her dream job in less than 30 days. It met every one of her “must have” criteria — even though there are fewer than five such positions in existence in the USA!

A client manifested $5,000 in one month from multiple sources – all totally unexpected and unforeseen – as soon as she gave up worrying about the “How”!

In the month of JUNE, to celebrate my birthday and the kick-off of my favorite season of the year, I want to offer a very special gift ONLY to my Cup of Caroll readers and their friends:

If you contact me by JUNE 30 and request a complimentary, no-obligation phone consultation in July,the cost of your future Practical Prosperity Coaching ™ is just two easy monthly payments of $149 each.

This is a savings of $275off the regular tuitionfor private, one-on-one coaching that is guaranteed to help you manifest a specific intention in 30 days or less – or I will refund all your tuition.

But you need to hurry! This special discount is available ONLY if you email me BEFORE 12 midnight Pacific time this Wednesday, June 30to schedule your FREE, no-obligation consultation.

Remember, our consultation can be scheduled for anytime in July – but I now have a very limited number of slots still available, so email me NOW to schedule a FREE 30-minute phone consultation and together we’ll determine if Practical Prosperity Coaching is the perfect way for you to manifest something BIG you are dreaming of !

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.” – Siddartha Guatama Buddha

As you read in my last blog, I have vowed to continue the practice I began last year of making this my personal Summer of Time Prosperity. In 2009, I “woke up” to the fact that the previous summer had gone by in a blur of tele-seminars, projects and paperwork. Yes, I achieved a lot professionally in 2008, but I also paid a heavy personal price by missing the opportunity to savor the many big and little moments of relaxation, rejuvenation and FUN that are available only during my favorite time of year. I sacrificed my own mental and physical well-being for what I viewed as my many obligations (also known as “shoulds”) at the time.

This summer, as last, I am vowing to take ample time each week to stop and smell the roses (and the barbecue), spend many relaxing moments with my bare toes in the grass, my nose in an entertaining book and my back on the chaise lounge (or a movie theater seat). In order to do that, I must be creative and resourceful in finding ways to cut down on the 12-14 hours I typically spend each weekend catching up on paperwork, including my weekly blog.

Make no mistake, I LOVE writing this blog! It’s no chore, but it does take considerable time. So I decided last year to take a page from Johnny Carson when he was the host of the Tonight Show by featuring some “guest hosts” for the blog from time to time during the summer. It will give you, my cherished reader, the opportunity to learn tips and tools for creating prosperity from a number of my favorite Master Manifesters, while giving me the opportunity to enjoy my favorite time of year without guilt! And this is my birthday week, so what better time to begin the Summer FUN than right NOW?

This week’s guest columnist is Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D., a dynamic writer and speaker who teaches us many simple and effective tools for achieving vibrant health and prosperity. She has mastered the art of abundant living in ALL aspects, and she knows it takes much more than just financial abundance to create a happy and fullfilling life. I heard Susan speak a couple of months ago at my church and was so impressed that I bought several of her books. The one I want to share from today is a paperback entitled Choose to Live Each Day Fully: A 365-Day Guide to Transforming Your Life from Ordinary to Extraordinary.

I hope her simple, wise, and very practical suggestions will inspire YOU to join me in focusing on being GOOD to ourselves each and every day!

Day 85: Boosting Your Self-Esteem

From Choose to Live Each Day Fully

By Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D.

“How you feel about yourself affects all aspects of your life – whether you are happy, peaceful, successful, and fulfilled in life. Here are some of the key ingredients to loving yourself and thus making your life a celebration.

Take loving care of your body.Eat healthy food and exercise regularly. Think of your body as more than pounds of flesh and tissue; treat your body as the miracle it is and with love and respect.

Count your blessings. Look at all the positive aspects about your body and life and write them down so you can see them all the time. Make a list of all the things for which you are grateful: your eyes which show you beauty, your hands which let you touch, your children, your spouse and friends, the flowers in your yard, or the park down the street.

Be patient and trust. Everything happens in the proper timing. Trust that all will unfold for your highest good. Be patient with yourself and choose to live one day at a time.

Today’s affirmation: I like and value myself very much.

Day 86: Boosting Your Self-Esteem II

From Choose to Live Each Day Fully

By Susan Smith Jones, Ph.D.

Be here now.Livein the present moment and with as much love in your heart as possible. All you ever truly have is this present moment, your moment of power.

Let go of all criticism. Be loving and kind towards yourself and release all criticism. When you catch yourself being judgmental and critical, stop and think of something positive. At least once a day, look in your mirror and take one minute to praise and support yourself.

Be of service to others. One of the fastest ways to feel better about yourself is to do something nice for another person. It could be as simple as giving someone a hug, cooking a meal for a sick neighbor, giving your time watching a friend’s child so he or she can have some time off, or sending a card saying how much you appreciate another. In giving to others, we give to ourselves.

Live in the presence of love. There is nothing that will transform your life more quickly than living with a consistent feeling of love in your heart. For the next twenty-four hours maintain a consistent feeling of love; your entire life will change for the better and will be enriched. It’s not very easy. Keep practicing and see how long you can go.

Today’s affirmation: I treat myself to the very best; I deserve it.”

It is my hope that you will practice one or more of Susan Smith Jones’s wonderful suggestions for enhanced self-esteem and abundant, healthy living this week. Focusing on even ONE of these guidelines will produce a noticeable increase in your mental, emotional and physical vibrancy and happiness!

Ooops — gotta run! It’s time to “treat myself” to some more relaxation and enjoyment…because “I deserve it!” How about you? What are YOU going to do to be good to yourself today?

Practical Prosperity Summer Spectacular

A client who manifested her dream car in less than two weeks — without the credit, down payment or monthly fees needed to pay for it!

A client was hired for her dream job in less than 30 days. It met every one of her “must have” criteria — even though there are fewer than five such positions in existence in the USA!

A client manifested $5,000 in one month from multiple sources – all totally unexpected and unforeseen – as soon as she gave up worrying about the “How”!

In the month of JUNE, to celebrate my birthday and the kick-off of my favorite season of the year, I want to offer a very special gift ONLY to my Cup of Caroll readers:

If you contact me by JUNE 30and request a complimentary, no-obligation phone consultation in July, the cost of your future Practical Prosperity Coaching ™ is just two easy monthly payments of $149 each.

This is a savings of $275 off the regular tuitionfor private, one-on-one coaching that is 100% GUARANTEED to help you manifest a specific intention in 30 days or less – or your MONEY BACK!

But you need to hurry! This special discount is available ONLY if you email me BEFORE 12 midnight Pacific time on June 30to schedule your FREE, no-obligation consultation.

Our consultation can be scheduled for anytime in July – but I have a limited number of slots available, so email me NOW to schedule a FREE 30-minute consultationand together we’ll determine if Practical Prosperity Coaching is the perfect way for you to manifest something BIG you are dreaming of – 100% GUARANTEED!

It was exactly one year ago that I had a big “Ah-Ha Moment” that changed the course of my summer and has had a lasting positive impact on my life: I learned how to let go and have FUN! I learned that it isn’t how much time you have available, but how you spend your time that determines the quality of your life.

It was June 15, 2009 when a simple, random memory came to me that liberated me to have FUN during my favorite time of year: SUMMER! Here’s what I wrote one year ago – which all came true, by the way:

“When I was in high school, the best time of the year was definitely Summer Vacation! Of the many things I loved about summer (including my June birthday), one of THE best parts was getting to stay up late to watch The Tonight Show. Having the biorhythms of a typical teenager, I was naturally a night owl. I loved to sit in my bedroom, working on a paint-by-number painting at midnight, as I enjoyed some of the most talented people of the 20th Century chatting with Johnny Carson. I thought Johnny had THE coolest job on the planet.

I now also realize that Johnny had an even better job than I was aware of at the time, because he only worked three or four nights a week at most, and had entire weeks off quite regularly. Yet, I watched the show even when he was gone, enjoying his favorite Guest Hosts of the moment bringing their own strengths to the show, while Johnny enjoyed time off from his ‘grueling’ schedule. Boy, he really DID have it made!

As I’ve said many times, Prosperity isn’t just about money. It’s really about living a lifestyle you love and enjoying everything you have been blessed with, regardless of how much more money or toys the Joneses next door may seem to have. Feeling prosperous requires only that you recognize and feel grateful that you have an abundance of MANY good things in your life, including health, energy, happiness, work you love to do, hobbies you love to pursue, people you love to be around, laughter, time for rest and relaxation, to name a few.

Well, I think Johnny Carson had abundant prosperity, not because of his considerable salary, but because he clearly loved his job AND he was smart enough to take plenty of time off from it, too. He lasted decades as a beloved cultural icon because he made it a continuing pleasure for himself, rather than letting it become a grind. Of course, his viewers benefited too, because we were introduced to a number of rising stars whose careers took off because of Johnny’s absence. He didn’t feel threatened by them or fear for his job security because they might be good, too. He was even more appreciated by his audience because he allowed other talents to shine, too.

I say all this as background for sharing with you that I have a new plan for my own work this summer: I vow to create more Prosperity in my life this summer. During [summer 2008], I worked six and a half days a week almost every week. I was coaching 20-30 clients Monday through Friday, 9am to 7 pm, and then spending all day Saturday and every Sunday afternoon catching up on all the extra paperwork and projects I needed to do. (Yes, including writing this blog, which I love to do, but which generally takes about half a day every week.) As a result, the loveliest time of the year for me went by in a blur.

For me, the greatest form of Prosperity I can dream of is having the luxury of TIME for trips, reading by the pool, going to movies regularly, having a “date night” every weekend with my wonderful husband. I’ll bet you can relate. I’ve never met a productive, ambitious adult who feels that he or she has plenty of TIME for all their beloved pursuits and activities.

We all want to create more wealth, too, of course. But the only thing in life that we ALL have the very same amount of is TIME. And if we don’t spend some of that precious time each and every week doing things we truly love, we will never, ever get it back. You can lose a fortune and eventually work hard enough to regain it, but you can never regain a single minute of your life. Tick Tock! It’s going by right now, as you are reading this.

So, I am promising you to take a page from Johnny this summer. It is the end of school and the beginning of Summer Vacation in many places. My stepson, Matthew, just [finished his first year of college]. So it is the perfect time to declare this the Summer of Time Prosperity! I am going to look for ways to lighten my workload and say “no” to anything optional that I really don’t WANT to do. I am going to read a trashy novel or two, watch every summer blockbuster that comes to the local cineplex and spend more time walking around my favorite Southern California beach town, Laguna Beach. I am going to sit on the patio with my husband and share an adult beverage and some chips and guacamole while we watch the sunset together. I am going to eat more ice cream with strawberries and drink more champagne (possibly also with strawberries). I am going to journal more, meditate regularly, and take a walk EVERY morning — not just when I think I can spare the time. I am going to keep our lovely rosebushes looking spectacular and just sit in the chaise lounge and watch the hummingbirds flit about the yard on a Sunday afternoon.

What difference does it make to YOU, you ask? Well, one of my strategies for creating more time freedom this summer is that I am going to take a week off from writing A Cup of Carollonce in awhile. However, that does NOT mean there won’t be a new blog every Monday to help you learn the principles and secrets to creating unlimited prosperity in YOUR life. It just means that, like Johnny, I will be welcoming regular “guest authors” to help me share many exciting Prosperity secrets with you. There are some really wonderful Master Manifesters sitting on my bookshelves right now, just waiting to share their wisdom with you, as they have done with me for two decades.”

Back to the present: My first “guest host” for Summer 2010 will be Susan Smith Jones, PhD, a delightful speaker and author who recently autographed for me her wonderful little book of wisdom, entitled Choose to Live Each Day Fully: A 365-Day Guide to Transforming Your Life from Ordinary to Extraordinary. This paperback is a series of 365 short essays on how to create a rich, healthy and abundant life in big and little ways, every single day of the year. I will share a little gem from it that will provide the perfect kick off to our Summer of Time Prosperity.

So please join Dr. Susan Smith Jones and me next week… Sorry, gotta run now! It’s date night and we’re going out for sushi and watching The Karate Kid at the cineplex!

Practical Prosperity Summer Spectacular

A client who manifested her dream car in less than two weeks — without the credit, down payment or monthly fees needed to pay for it!

A client was hired for her dream job in less than 30 days. It met every one of her “must have” criteria — even though there are fewer than five such positions in existence in the USA!

A client manifested $5,000 in one month from multiple sources – all totally unexpected and unforeseen – as soon as she gave up worrying about the “How”!

In the month of JUNE, to celebrate my birthday and the kick-off of my favorite season of the year, I want to offer a very special gift ONLY to my Cup of Caroll readers:

If you contact me by JUNE 30 and request a complimentary, no-obligation phone consultation in June or July, the cost of your future Practical Prosperity Coaching ™ (whenver you decide to begin it) will be justtwo easy monthly payments of $149 each.

This is a savings of $275 off the regular tuition for private, one-on-one coaching that is 100% GUARANTEED to help you manifest a specific intention in 30 days or less – or your MONEY BACK!

But you need to hurry! This special discount is available ONLY if you email me BEFORE 12 midnight Pacific time on June 30 to schedule your FREE, no-obligation consultation.

Our consultation can be scheduled for anytime in July – but I have a limited number of slots available, so email me NOW to schedule a FREE consultation and together we’ll determine if Practical Prosperity Coaching is the perfect way for you to manifest something BIG you are dreaming of – 100% GUARANTEED!

“One of our greatest gifts is our intuition. It is a sixth sense we all have; we just need to learn to tap into it and trust it.” – Donna Karan

All human beings have it. Our intuition — otherwise known as a “gut feeling” — seems to be a factory-installed inner guidance system that lets us instantly sync up with the Universal Creative Mind to receive the perfect answer to our every need – if we choose to follow it. The dictionary defines this seemingly-magical state as “being aware of orknowing something without having to discover or perceive it…”

When you face a critical decision, your unique, personal intuition is the greatest tool you have for making the right choice for YOU — whether it’s “Should I get on the parking garage elevator alone with this stranger late at night? Something just doesn’t feel right in the pit of my stomach, but I don’t want look silly, or to hurt his feelings!” Or, “I wonder which of these two job offers I should I take? They both have some big pluses and a few drawbacks. How do I decide?”

I believe that what we call intuition is actually another manifestation of the Law of Attraction(“energy attracts like energy”) in action. When you follow your intuition, you are listening to and acting on a subtle message directly from the Universe, telling you exactly HOW to get that which is for your Highest Good. But when you choose to override that inkling you have for purely “logical” reasons, you run the risk of ending up with something that you DON’T want.

The problem with intuition is that it is sometimes difficult to get a clear message from your GUT – or to allow yourself to act on it — when your HEAD gets in the way.

Two of my coaching clients recently had an opportunity to follow their intuition. One did and one didn’t, and their very different outcomes reinforced for me the importance of following our inner guidance. That is why I wanted to share their lessons with you, in hopes of helping you to tune in more easily to your OWN intuition.

My first client is a civilian working on a non-combat military base in the Middle East. Normally very affable and spiritually-oriented, “Terry” is slow to anger and quick to diffuse a volatile situation with humor or understanding words. Nevertheless, being ex-military himself, he is also a realist and is well aware of the danger signs that someone in uniform is under stress.

After a minor, annoying run-in with an office co-worker left him feeling irritated, Terry decided to go to the staff lounge for a cup of coffee, something he rarely does during the work day. He told me later, “I don’t know why, but something inside me told me to hurry up – to just get my coffee and get OUT of there. But I wasn’t feeling like hurrying back to my annoying co-worker, so I just hung out there for a couple of extra minutes, slowly stirring creamer into my coffee.”

Soon, out of the corner of his eye he saw a man in uniform enter the room. Even turned away from him, Terry could just feel a negative vibe coming from the guy. “I didn’t even know him. Never saw him before in my life. But he started banging cupboards louder than he needed to, and his body language just told me he was angry.”

At that point, Terry decided to clear out. As he turned to walk past him, the other guy made a slight move, reaching out his arm like he meant to jostle Terry, or even to strike him. “Don’t even TOUCH me!” the guy growled, followed by a string of words in Spanish that Terry couldn’t understand, but whose tone was clear.

Terry had to make a split-second decision about whether to respond and risk escalating the volatile situation, or simply walk away. Immediately, he thought of losing his great job – of all he’d worked for going up in smoke. In a heartbeat, he decided it just wasn’t worth it, and so chose to walk away….but not before tossing one snide remark over his shoulder as he exited the room: “You are going to die POOR!”

The senselessness of the near-altercation and his disappointment with himself for uttering those petty words shook Terry for days afterward. “I KNEW I shouldn’t be in that room! I was given a clear direction to GET OUT. If I had followed it, I would have completely avoided that crazy guy and not had this spoil the rest of my week. Why didn’t I follow my hunch?”

The answer, we agreed, was undoubtedly that Terry’s mind was still clouded with annoyance at his co-worker, which prevented him from tuning into his own inner guidance system at first. Still, I pointed out, it’s a good thing that he DID follow his gut when he realized that the volatile soldier could create some REAL trouble for him. It just would have been so much more pleasant for him if he’d chosen to LISTEN to his intuition and exit the room three minutes earlier!

My second client, a creative, hard-driving entrepreneur, faced a much different problem with her intuition. She said she wished she had some clear sense of inner guidance, but she had no clue about what was the best option to follow in an important decision regarding the company she owns. She and her staff had been preparing for a couple of months to put on a lavish celebration for her distributors, the purpose of which was to unveil many new enhancements and an exciting new direction for the company.

She intended for this to be a fun event – a glamorous “party” atmosphere, combined with a serious business focus, meant to inspire and motivate her distributors. But in making a series of small decisions along the way, “It just got away from me,” she said. She had over-committed to a big, expensive venue, many frills including champagne and door prizes, outside speakers and entertainers. Still it would all have been worth it — except that she had sold only HALF enough tickets to justify holding at all, and the person she’d hired to secure some big sponsors to cover the costs hadn’t gotten a single one to commit. And now the event was just two weeks away.

She said, “I fired the marketing person, and I know I could do a much better job of it myself. But I still have so much to do with the program itself, and the materials….I know if I drop everything I should be doing to get on the phones — and send my staff out to round up more vendors — we could probably get more, as well as sell some more tickets. But what’s the point if I get everyone there and I don’t have the new stuff ready to show them? That was the original REASON for this event, after all! I really can’t do both jobs, and we’re running out of time!”

The difficult choice she had to make was whether to try to work around the clock for two weeks, and hope to be able to pull off an event that was bound to be much less than she wanted it to be, or whether to postpone it and live with the financial losses on the rented venue and items already purchased. And what message would that send to her sales force, she wondered? It seemed like either choice had a potentially severe downside. “I just can’t decide what’s the RIGHT thing to do!” she said in exasperation.

So I asked her to do a “gut check” and say aloud what it was telling her. “Nothing!” she said. “ I’m so confused, I’m not getting anything!” Clearly, her fear about the consequences of her decision had her too much in her head to be able to listen to her gut.

That’s when I remembered a simple trick – I don’t even know when or where I learned it – to uncover what your intuition is trying to tell you, when you can’t get present to it. I asked her if she had a quarter. She did. “OK, since you can’t decide, let’s just let fate do it for you. Flip the coin, and we’ll say that if it comes up heads, you go through with the event, and if it’s tails, you cancel. Will you agree to abide by fate’s decision?” She said she would and flipped the coin. It came up tails.

“OK, you are going to cancel the party,” I said. Then I asked her the magic question: “How do you feel about that?” She exclaimed, “ I feel relieved! I feel GREAT!”

Well, that’s the real point of the coin toss, I told her. It’s not what it tells you to DO that matters, it’s what it reveals about how you authentically FEEL about the decision. If she had felt somewhat nauseated about canceling the event, for example, it would have revealed that the RIGHT choice, according her “gut,” was actually to go through with it. Instead, her feeling of RELIEF clearly indicated that canceling the event was what her inner guidance knew was the RIGHT thing for her.

And it was. The cash loss for canceling was relatively small — especially compared to the food, entertainment and other items she hadn’t yet paid for. And when she found out that the venue was willing to turn her deposit into gift cards that she could give her staff, clients and distributors, she saw it as a “win-win.” She made personal phone calls to every one of the distributors who had already purchased tickets, offering them a refund and promising that the event will be re-scheduled for the near future when it is 100% ready to be done RIGHT. They completely understood and were flattered that the company owner called them personally to explain.

So the next time you are faced with a difficult decision where you really don’t know what the right answer is – the pro’s and con’s seem equal in your head and you don’t have a clear channel open to receive the answer that the infinite wisdom of the Universe is trying to send you, remember that you can always access your intuition with the simple flip of a coin. Whichever way it lands, your immediately FEELING of relief or disappointment will tell you what the right answer truly is for you.

Heads, you win….Tails, you STILL win! Hey, you’ve got to love those odds!